Bloomington water rates might rise

The Utilities Service Board recommended a 54 percent increase on water rates Wednesday, which includes funding for an expansion of the city’s water plant.

The board had a special meeting in a crowded, humid room in the Utilities Department Administrative Building on Wednesday to discuss the water rate increase recommendation that will be given to the City Council.

The increase in rates would allow for an expansion that would give the city 30 million more gallons of water.

The construction would take about two years.

John Skomp, an independent member of Crowe Horwath International, said there were three options the board considered.

One of the options included a 22 percent increase that would  cover the expenses of the water plant that have increased over time.

Another option was a 35 percent increase, which would not cover the full expansion.

The last option was a 47 percent increase that would cover the expenses of keeping up with the plant’s costs and would allow expansion.

The increases are a result of several days of the plant’s capacity being knocked out, which prevented it from treating water, said Mike Bengston, assistant director of engineering for Bloomington.

Bengston said the plant had to be used to its maximum capacity, which depleted the city’s water reserves.

Julie Roberts, vice president of the board, used visuals to explain the increase.
Roberts said the increase would only apply to one-third of the consumer’s water bill.

An average household would see an increase of $8 per month under the 47 percent increase, she explained.

However, the Utilities Service Board decided to recommend a 54 percent rate increase because it would save the city more than $9 million in interest payments.

“Right now we are on the low half of Indiana rates,” Roberts said. “We are one of the most efficient, clean, reliable systems in the entire state.”

Pedro Roman, a member of the board, said customers might see another water increase because of repairs needed for the sewer system.

At the meeting, a few Bloomington residents addressed concerns that the city was not doing enough to push for conservation.

Bloomington resident James Allison said he doesn’t think the board and the city are thinking about technology that can be used for future conservation.

However, Roberts said the city would not see results from conservation for many years if it starts implementing every recommendation.

Bengston said the full increase is the best recommendation the board could give because  of operational aspects.

“We need to have that extra capacity to recover from instances if they happen again,” Bengston said.